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Shae
The Shae (SHAY) are a race of cave-dwelling humanoids known for their worship of the goddess, Oses. Appearance Shae are characterized by dark skin, tall and slender bodies, and large, bat-like ears. Their skin is always dark, but ranges in color from grey, to purple, blue, green, or pure black. Their hair has a huge range of colors, but is almost always lighter than the tone of their skin. They have large, ribbed ears that resemble those of carnivorous bats and have similar audio-capabilities. Their hands and feet are very human except for the small, black claws in place of finger and toe nails. Special Abilities Shae have a number of special senses and abilities granted to them by their beloved Oses. Like the spiders that Oses rules over, Shae are extremely sensitive to vibrations on surfaces beneath them, allowing them to sense movement or approaching foes from great distances. Oses also granted the Shae some of the abilities of bats such as their excellent hearing. It is these abilities that led to the false assumption that Shae can see in the dark. Perhaps the most impressive of the Shae peoples' Oses-granted abilities is their control over shadows. A Shae can shift any naturally occurring (non-magical) shadow into different shapes, or stretch it to reach them. The bigger or deeper the shadow, the more control over it a Shae has. Culture Nearly every part of Shae culture revolves around the goddess, Oses, from the ruling hierarchy, to foreign relations, to daily machinations. The Ruling Body The Shae do not hold themselves to any ruler outside of those residing in their own cities. Each city is then ruled by a single female who is supported by twelve major houses. Houses are separated by common and noble, and each house is governed by their own head. Houses Cities of Shae are divided both physically and socially by house. Each sprawling family maintains a complex of manors and shops that varies in size depending on the size and social status of the family itself. Each house is internally ruled by the Dearest, usually the oldest female, with the support of her Darling (the heir to the Dearest's seat). Alliances and rivalries exist between houses, but competition for power brought by the favor of Oses can sometimes turn deadly. The Favored The Favored are a group of twelve Dearest (Heads of House) that represent the most powerful houses in a city's hierarchy. The Favored act as advisors and supporters to the Beloved's rule. However, despite the generally accepted idea that The Favored exist to serve and support the Beloved, this is rarely seen in practice, as most Favored tend to focus more on gaining power for their own house and ruling in their own way than they do on extending the will of the Beloved. The Beloved The highest rank of each city is known as the Beloved of Oses, or simply the Beloved. The Beloved is always female, and is hand chosen by Oses herself after a series of "games" to take place shortly after the death of the previous Beloved. List of Important Shae * Chardra of House Mel'Tlar * Evnice of House Hla'Viir * Inryna of House Ale'Iryn * Inryne of House Auvry'Val * Phareyl of House Dom'Tor * Barinid of House Mel'Tlar * Talthrae of House De'Und * Ulvirni of House Bae'ana * Vierstra of House De'Und * Rizyrr of House De'Und * Soldrin of House De'Und * Imraen of House De'Und * Nirdyn of House De'Und